The Third Party
by I-am-the-survivor
Summary: A rescue mission goes rogue as Daisy is left to face AIDA on her own, or so it appears


**I would put emojis but I'm on a laptop so HAPPY BIRTHDAY EM! I never thought worming my way into that chat I'd meet someone as brilliant and fantastic as you! I love you with all of my heart and I know this is a bit early but I wanted to post it now. I know how much you've been missing a certain flaming anti hero so here you go! Happy birthday love I hope it's a fantastic one.**

They were outmanned as far as Daisy could tell. Sure they had ore in numbers but Radcliffe had much more in power. The Watchdogs lingering, she could handle just fine. However, three new indistinguishable-from-the-real-thing robots? Yeah, not so much. AIDA lead the three with an almost heinous smirk across her face. Behind her stand Radcliffe and May but so much more dangerous than their counterparts. May is an excellent fighter already, pair that with the super strength of being a robot and that equaled not good. Daisy was their distraction while Elena unhooks May from her restraints. She could do distraction.

Daisy throws out her hand knocking the three off balance. She hears the distant firing of gunshots in the background. She knows they're having an all out shoot out with the Watchdogs just outside. Elena had rushed her past the barricades; they needed to get May out fast and this is the only way.

The building trembles with her quakes sending bits of asphalt tumbling to the floors. She needs to be careful, this place could close in at any minute and as long as May is still inside, that is not a good idea. Daisy sends another quake their direction sending them to the ground again. A loud beeping interrupts the fight stopping her heart. Daisy's head whips around letting out a breath of relief to find May gone, dangled wires left in Elena's wake.

A punch to her rib cage sends her spiraling across the room. She heaves in a breath as her spine connects with the hard wall. She's panting trying to get up as the three advance towards her once more. Weakly she raises a hand sending her most powerful quake at the three. Radcliffe and May fly backwards with crushing sounds of metal echoing through the now empty warehouse. However, AIDA stands strong.

" _She's built to last."_ She can hear Radcliffe's teasing voice in her ear. For all she knows the man is either captured or dead but the voice still sends chills down her spine.

AIDA lifts her by the throat with ease pinning her against the wall. Daisy had seen similar bruises on Melinda's throat. Had this been what AIDA did to her? Pinned her against the wall, helplessly kicking in a struggle for oxygen. Darkness swims at the edge of her vision threatening to swallow her hole. Daisy grabs the hand putting all of her energy into breaking that wrist, desperately trying to destroy whatever mechanism was holding her hostage.

Suddenly the grip released and she drops heavily to the ground. Daisy gasps harshly trying to gather the sweet dusty air around her. Heat licks her face as flames dance in front of her blurred vision.

At first she thought it was a hallucination; red hot chains ripping through synthetic flesh and metal. Orange flames dancing in front of her vision as AIDA collapses in front of her. Eyes dim and the face goes lifeless as if she'd never been awake to begin with.

A tanned hand reaches towards her, offering her a lift. A freckle dusted face shines down at her through the dim light of the warehouse, worry reflecting in his eyes. She takes his hand pulling herself to her feet.

"Robbie," She breathes.

"You can't keep out of danger without me can you?" He asks, half serious and half joking.

"I had back up." She argues.

"Which one? The ones in a shoot out or the one running around fetching supplies for Simmons?" He smiles half heartedly. "Come on, let's get out of here before this place collapses."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Nearly twenty hours she had been sitting there staring at May's dormant form. The technological headpiece was still attached keeping May fully unconscious. She was practically dead to the world. She would be until Fitz reverse engineered a copy for one of them, most likely Coulson, to go into her hallucination and snap her out of it safely. Ripping her out of that fantasy could damage her mind completely, they had said. God Daisy hated seeing her so vulnerable.

"You need to get some sleep eventually." Robbie's voice from behind her startles her into dropping her SO's hand.

"I just convinced Coulson to leave. It's my turn." She says blankly.

"You've been here for long enough." He says. "Let another agent watch her. You need sleep."

"And she needed us." Daisy's voice breaks as she speaks. "She needed us and we didn't know."

"This isn't your fault Daisy." He sighs.

"Is it not? I should have known." She frowns looking at him. "She kept telling me something was off and then she… it avoided me after it rescued us. It knew something was up and we didn't even know." She breathes as slow tears roll down her cheeks. "What if something had happened?"

"Nothing happened."

"But what if?" She snaps. She takes the moment to gather herself allowing herself the time to calm down. "How are you back? I thought you had some scores to settle."

"I've been keeping an eye on SHIELD. I heard about May and I came back. Just in time apparently too." He snickers.

"Thanks for saving my ass back there."

"You saved mine." He smiles shyly.

"How's Gabe?"

"Adjusting." He nods. "But I think he really likes the new place we've got. Thanks for hooking us up." Daisy had hacked into the records and found an old safe house for the two of them. It had taken only a few minutes to get him the keys and change Gabe's name officially in order to sneak him into the school records. When asked about payments Daisy had just smirked and told him not to worry about it. After all, Talbot didn't need ALL of that government pay he was getting.

"And Lucy?" She smiles.

"I got that scratch fixed if that's what you're asking." He jokes. It feels good to be able to let out a laugh.

"How long are you staying?" Daisy allows herself the moment to look back towards him. He looked pretty good for someone who was constantly on the move searching for vengeance. His hair was styled and his jacket was cleaned up. He looked… nice.

"Not long. I wanted to check on you before I headed out."

"I'll be okay." Daisy looks back towards May who was still peacefully sleeping. "She's a fighter."

"I know." He laughs. He walks up handing her a slip of paper over her shoulder.

"What's this?" She asks unfolding it. On the paper is a hastily scribbled set of numbers.

"My new phone number. I know you could've hacked your way into finding it but it feels a little more special this way." He smiles. "Call me when she's awake."

"I will."

"Oh and Daisy?"

"Hm?"

"Maybe when you come to town we could grab some pizza? I heard Gina's has a mad meat lovers."

"Sounds like a plan." She smiles.

"Goodbye Daisy."

"Goodbye Robbie."


End file.
